Buckle



G. E. PREN'ncE BUCKLE' Filed March l0. 1923 I N VEN TOR. 505,65 E /V 7765 ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. l5, i924.

UNITED STATES mainz-5 y PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. PEENTICE, OE NEW EErTAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOE To TREO COMPANY,

INC., A CORPORATION OE NEW YORK.

BUCKLE.

Application inea March 1o, 192e. serial-N. 624,130.

To all whom it may concern:l

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. PRENTICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain i new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a b-uckle for adside of the bar then over the bar, and then through the frame at the nearer side of the bar, so that any pull, on the adjustable band will shift the bar automatically in a direction to clamp the free end of the band between it and the frame. ln prior buckles or this type, if the bars were narrow, considerable trouble was experienced because of their tendency to assume a ,diagonal position and bind inthe gnidewaysi or fall out when adjustments were being made, and if they were made wide enough to avoid binding in the grooves or falling out it was necessary to materially lengthen the trame, in order to provide space for suilicient travel ot' the bar therein. An object of the invention is to provide an impro-ved buckle or1 this type with which the binding or falling out of the sliding bar is avoided, without materially increasing the length of the frame, if at all; which can be made entirely from sheet metal by simple stamping and bending operations; and which is attractive in appearance; light in weight, strong and durable in construction and inexpensive. will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereafter in claim. Y

ln the drawing:

Fig. l is an elevation of an adjustable garter strap which has included therein a buckle constructed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is 'a longitudinal section through a portion of the same,

Other objects and advantages Y Fig. 3 is altransverse section throughv the buckle, and

Fig.v l is a perspective of the two parts of a buckle separated fromj'one another.

In theillustrated embodiment of the invention, a buckle frame l with a large aperture 2 therein, is stamped from sheet metal, and the two Opposite sideedge portions 3 and fl thereof are doubled back upon the stampingvor blank toward one another on the same tace of` the blank or stamping. The doubled 4back edges are spaced slightly from the. facepof the blank which the edges overlie, so as to form with lthe blank two opposing guide grooves which extend along the sides ofthe frame. An` -shaped sta1nping 5` of `sheet metal is slidingly ydisposed in the buckle frame, which is formed from the blank with the doubled back edges, so

as Vto bridge the aperture 2 from side to grooves,l -Av strap1 6v is looped through the aperture 2 at one end of the `buckle frame and stitched upon itself as at 7, so as to form a permanent connection between the buckle frame and the support. The adjustable strap or band 8 which, by way of illustration, may carry a suitable garter fastener 9 at one end thereof, is' passed through the aperture in the frame at the further side of the sliding bar (which is the side toward the strap 6), then passed around Vthe sliding bar and back through the aperture 2 inthe buckle frame upon the nearer side of the bar.

When a pull is exerted'upon the strap 8' it will be transmitted to the slidin bar in such a manner as'topull the bar 1n the direction of pull upon the strap 8 and clamp the free end of the strap 8 between the sliding bar and the buckle `frame. If one desires to lengthen or shorten the strap 8 it is merely necessary first to slacken it so that the sliding bar may be shifted to release the free end thereof, after which the strap may be adjusted to the desired length. Thereafter when a pull is exerted upon the strap i8 it will shift the sliding bar in a direction to 4clamp the free end of the strap inthe buckle.

The sliding bar is preferably provided upon one face with a rib 10 which may be formed by pressing the same from the body of the sliding bar during the stamping 0peration, or by fa subsequent, operationin die machines. buckle frame the rib will extend into the aperture 2 and. by engagement with the ends of tlie'aperture limit-the sliding move` ment of the bar. The bar 5 will be inserted under the cross bar before the flanged edges 3 and 4 are bent entirely down. After the bar is inserted, the edges may be bent entirely down so as to confine the bar within l: the grooi'es,`and the rib l0 will prevent the bar from sliding entirely out ofthe buckle frame. The ends ll'of lthe flanges forming theY guide grooves may be pinched downwardly towards the body ofthe buckle frame, as shown in Fig. 4, s o ais to form limit stops for` the sliding bar 5.

It will be observed that the buckle frame and sliding bar may both b eentirely produced by metal die stamping andfbending operations, which enables theirpproduction in quantities' 'at an extremely low cost.

'Their assembly is simple, and because of the large surface provided by the heads of the I-shaped slidingy bar, the possibility of the bar binding in the groovesvor assuming a. diagonal positionv is avoided. At the same time thenarrow intermediate part of the I-shaped stamping coverssuch a small portion of the aperture-2 thatthere will be a sufficient portion of the aperture which is not ycoveredbythebar to'enable the insertion and ,adjnstment'of the strap 8 Without difficulty.' At ther same the buckle Vhen the bar V5 is Within the L ling bar and will not rub against the inturned anges 3 and 4. In this manner fraying of the edges of the adjustable strap will be largely avoided.

It will be obvious that various changes i inthe details, shapes, kand-*proportions of parts hereinv described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of the invention, may be'made by those skilled intlie art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claim. Y

-I claim: y

A buckle comprising an apertured blank of'sheet metal with two opposite side edges doubled back toward one another on the same face of the blank to form with the face ofl the blank two opposing guide grooves, and anI-shaped stamping of sheet" metal bridging the aperture between k'the guides with the ends of the I slidingin the guides, the ends of the doubled back edges being pinched toward the bodv of the blank to close the grooves and limit VVthe sliding movement of the I stamping.

In witness whereof,.I 'hereunto subscribe Inysignature.

- GEORGE PRENTICE.v 

